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Being able to interpret as a job requires a lot of skills and experience. Just because you speak several languages doesn’t automatically mean that you can be a good interpreter. Although l
anguage skills do play a critical part in interpreting, in order to pursue a career in it, you need to pass a series of exams to get a certificate. There are several areas of interpreting you can concentrate on, each requiring a separate certificate. Most of the certificates also require a certain completed level of education prior to testing.
Interpreters also have a schedule that is different from most other jobs. Most of them are “on-call” basis, meaning that sometimes they can have several requests a day, and sometimes they can have none. Also, interpreters are called to locations in many different parts of town and are required to use their own vehicles to get there. Quite often they are not reimbursed unless they travel over a significant distance. Interpreters also have to follow a very strict code of conduct. They should maintain a high level of confidentiality and are not allowed to accept any gifts or rewards from their customers. Although every state has different rules and requirements, you should check with the hiring company to get a clear idea of what is expected.
Here are a few interpreting fields:
- Medical Interpreting. This is the most demanding area of interpreting. Interpreters need to know a lot of medical terminology and have an understanding of medical field.
- DHHS Interpreting. DHHS interpreting is where the majority of interpreters start their careers. There is not as much specific terminology as in the medical field, and the area usually covers topics from everyday life.
- Court Interpreting. The elite of the interpreting. Court interpreters are the highest paid in the industry, but they are the most skillful, especially when it comes to two-way interpreting (also known as synchronized interpreting). It’s been recorded that their heart rate during work equals the rate of boxers during the final rounds.
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